Can or box opener.



No. 333,393. PATENTED AUG. 1 3, 1907.

R. S. HILTNER.

CAN 0R BOX OPENER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 1305,

WITNESSES INVENTOR UYITED STATES ROBERT S. HILTNERJOF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

CAN OR BOX OPENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1907.

Application filed January 3, 1905. Serial No. 23 9,41 '7.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT S. HILTNER, a citizen of the United States, and residing in Lincoln, Nebraska,

have invented certain new and useful IUIpIUVQIIlLHiS in Can or Box Openers, of which the following is a description, the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof.

An object of this invention is to provide a can or box opener which will be attached to the body of the can or box and therefore may not be lost or misplaced.

Another object of the invention is to provide a can opener which may be applied to theoutside of the can body and will not therefore interfere with the contents of the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a can opener which by being pivoted to the can body may be easily operated about its pivot and needs no other fulcrum point.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a can opener cheap to manufacture and easy and perfect in operation.

Other objects of the invention will the course of the specification.

Referring to the drawings on which like reference letters represent like parts:Figure l is a front elevation of the preferred form of opener applied to a round can. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. i Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on line s--s of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an elevation and plan of the preferred form of can opener, detached. Fig. 5 is a modification'of the can opener, detached. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the can opener, detached, showing a modification as to the rivet which attaches the same to the can. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the can opener acting on the can cover; Fig. 8 is a vertical cross'set tion taken through the rivet that holds the can opener in place on the can in Fig. 7, showing a modification in form and mode of attaching the opener. Fig. 9 is an elevation of a rectangular can or box having a moditied form of can opener attached thereto. Fig. 10 is a plan of the same. Fig. 11 is a cross section on the line 8 s of Fig. 9. Fig. 12 is a detail of the modified form of can opener shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the can opener of Fig. 9 operating upon the can cover.

In Figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, and 8, the letters A, B, and C designate respectively the top or cover, bod and opener of the can or box. The topor cover of the can is of ordinary construction, while the can body is changed only in countersinking the metal inward, as at D, just around a hole a made in the same near the top rim. This countersinking is not absolutely necessary as will be seen by inspection of Figs. 7 and 8.

The can opener is a piece of sheet metal, formed as shown in Fig. 4, with a part b of suitable form, usually appear during i circular or semi-circular, and having a hole a in the same, and a part c bent at a right angle or other suitable angle to part b and forming shoulders (I, (I, where the two parts join. The part b is small enough to fit into the countersink D, and the part. c is large enough to be easily grasped by thumb and fingers. The can opener may be united to the can body by a rivet passing through the holes a and a, or the rounded spur of metal at the back of I) may be struck up as at a, Fig. 6, and after the can opener has been put in place, the part a. may be headed over. These. parts are held together loosely enough to allow the opener to swing freely about its pivot. In Fig. 5 a handle 0, shaped to conform to the shape of the box, is shown.

In the construction just described, the can opener does not interfere with the tight fitting of the cover on the can body and moreover the can opener is securely fastened to the can.

opener is apparent. The handle 0 is grasped between the thumb and fingers. The opener, turning about. the pivot 11, bears on one of the shoulders (1 against the under edge of the top or cover A and raises the same no matter how tightly the cover and box are lit ted together. In Figs. 9, 10, ll, 12, and [3 a slight nmdilication is shown which is especially adapted for rectangular or straight-sided boxes or cans without: any beading on the same. The construction of the can or box is as usual. It is necessary only to punch a hole near the top of the body of the box or can just below the line of the lower edge of the cover. The can opener is formed of a flat piece of sheet metal, cut as shown in Fig. 12. having a projection or nub 11 and shoulders (Z on one side. The nub is inserted into the hole in the can and headed over, as described in connection with the construction of Fig. 6. The operation of this form of can opener is mechanically the same as in form shown in Figs. 1, 2, 7, and 8; theshoulders J bearing against the under edge of the box cover as shown in Fig. 13 and raising the same by turning about the pivot o The. can openers herein described are especially adapted to be applied to boxes for polishing pastes, ointments, etc. However they may be used on any can or box of whatever size or shape whose cover or top slips over, or wedges over, or telescopes over the can body. Tile construction herein set forth is capable of many modifications without departing in the least from the spirit of the invention, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to the specific forms of can openers just described.

From the foregoing, it Will be seen that my improved lever opener for cans and boxes is unique in that it is permanently attached by rivet or other appropriate pivotal manner to the exterior of the body between the By inspection of Fig. 7, the operation of the can flange of some and the cover. Being fastened to the can or box body it is always in place ready for use, and cannot be lost or mislaid.

Another novel feature of the device is that increased power in the lever is secured by attaching the opener to the can or box body at a point between the upper rim of said body and the lower rim of the over-lapping cover, thereby reducing to a minimum the length of the weight arm and thus increasing the efficiency of the lever.

Still another novel feature of the invention is that all the members of the lever are on the outside of the can body: hence in operating the opener, the cover may be raised without disturbing the contents of the can or box.

What I claim is:

1. 'lhe combination of a can body. a cover, and a device pivoially attached to the body at a point in the outside of the body below the upper edge thereof and on that part of the body which is over-lapped by the cover when in position and formed with a shoulder on both sides of the pivot point: said device being so arranged on the can that either shoulder will engage the rim of the cover to raise the same. when the projecting finger-piece oi. said device is turned.

2. The combination of a box body, a removable cover, a recess located on the outside of the body below the upper edge thereof and on that part of the body, lapped by the cover when in position, and an opener having a part pivoted in said recess and a part extending at an angle to such first part and resting under the lower edge of the flange of the cover, so that by rotating the opener on its pivot the angle part of the opener engages the edgie of the (over iiane'e and forces the cover oh the box.

2!. The combination of a body, a removable cover, and an opener, such opener comprising a member extending between the cover and the body and pivotaily attached to the exterior of such body. and a. member extending at an angle to the first named member just under the edge of the cover and arranged to be turned and thereby to force the edges of such opener. which are. underneath the lower edges of the cover, around the pivotal point of attachment, ,ihus raising the cover-from the body without disturbing the. contents thereof, substantially as described.

- 4. The combination of a box body, a removable cover, a recess. formed on the outside of the body in the part lapped by the cover. an aperture in the recess, and an opening device pivoted in said recess by means of a spur integral with such opener and which passes through such aperture and is headed down on the inside of the body, said opener having an outwardly extending portion adapted. to engage under the edge of the flange of the cover when the cover is in closed position.

5. The combination of a can body, a cover, and an opening device pivotaily attached to the body, below 'the top edge of same, and between the cover and the body when the cover is in place, and provided with a lingerpiece extending at right-angles to the lever-arm, and dithe box having reci'ly under the edge or rim oi the cover. so that, upon turning about its pivot, the opening device will raise the cover by bearing: against. the edge or rim of the cover.

ti. in combination with a box and cover titting: thereon, one member thereof being provided with an opening: in the portion adapted robe over-lapped by the other member, of means for prying'off the cover having a pivot adapted to enter said opening.

7. In combination with a box and cover fitting thereon, one member thereof being provided with an opening in the portion adapted to be over-lapped by the. other member. of means for prying; oil the cover having a pivot formed integ'l'al therewith and adapted to enter said opening and engage the member.

S. in combination with a box and cover fitting thereon. of an opener pivotaliy connected to one member thereof and consisting of a portion lying between the box and cover and a handle portion projecting outwardly from below the junction of the box. and cover and adapted when turned to engage one member of the box and cover and force the cover from engagement with the box.

9. in combination with a box and a cover fitting thereon, of a device pivotailysupported between the over-lapping parts of the box and cover. and adapted when turned to disengage the cover from the box.

10. The combination with a box and cover fitting thereon. of a device pivotally connected with a portion of the box which is over-lapped by the cover and adapted when turned to disengage the cover from the box.

11. In combination with a box and cover fitting thereon. said box having a cireiunferential bead near the upper edge thereof, of a device. pivotally secured at. the mouth of the box and adapted to have a portion thereof covered by the cover and a portion lie normally between the lower edge of the cover and the bead. the portion covered by the cover being compressed between the box and the cover, and means for turning the device so that the portion between the bead and the lower edge of the cover will engage the same and force the cover upwardly, the compressed portion holding the cover from engagement with the box and assisting the upward movement of the cover. I

12. In combination with a box and cover fitting thereon, the box having a circumferential bead near the mouth thereof, of an opening device consisting; of a handle, and a right-angled projection formed integral therewith pivotally connected to the mouth of the box above the bead and having its angle resting between the lower edge of the cover and head. for the purpose set forth.

13. In combination with a box and cover fitting thereon, a circumferential bead near the month thereof and having an opening above the head, of an opening' device consisting of a handle and a right-angled portion formed integral therewith, the right-angled portion having a centrally-arranged bent terminal entering the opening of the box to form a pivot for the open r, and the angle resting between the bead and the lower edge of the cover. for the purpose set forth.

ROBERT S. HILTNER.

Witnesses 'luoiias Y. SvLLIvAx, .i. S'rno'rnnn MILLER, Jr. 

